Chasing Heaven - we reach Tibet.

Sunday, August 31, 2008 – 2:08pm

Only 6 ours left on our 36-hour cross-country ride. For the past little while, I have just been flipping through photos of my nephew, Matthew on my laptop. That kid can bring a smile to my face and make me feel close to home no matter where I am. I can’t help but sit here and wonder what adventures he will get up to in his life and where it will lead him. I wonder if there will even be train travel when it comes time for him to set out on his own...You have lots of time to think about stuff you never think about on a 36 hour train ride.
We picked up this train in Xi’an en route from Beijing. We found something out about sleeper trains. If you can, and it fits into your schedule, you want to pick up a long distance sleeper train from its point of origin. David, Ethan and I were very lucky in that we are the only three people in our four person car (the extra bed becoming a catch-all for our crap, however, when we opened the door, we were in for a treat.
You see, because the train is in motion and people are getting on and off all the time, people were using our sleeper car right before we boarded. We entered into a car that had not had garbage collected or the bedding changed, and it smelled like people had been sleeping in there overnight. But these are things you expect when travelling. We did call the attendant and get new sheets, however - there is a line people.
In the train station in Xi’an, thanks to Ethan, we also met two very nice Londoners (UK, not Ontario) named Susie and Dan. They are a couple that decided to up and leave their jobs while still young and trek around the world for a year. They have already been travelling for almost 6 months, having visited Africa, Thailand, Vietname, Japan and China to name a few. It is such a small world though! I was telling them about my friend Giulia who I go visit in London as much as I can, and as it turns out, they live a couple of stops away from her on the Jubilee line in St. Johns Wood to her Kilburn. They got a kick out of that.
The scenery has been awesome on this leg of the trip; much different from Beijing to Xi’an, which was overnight so dark the whole way. The skies have been expansive and blue, the brilliance of the stars at night almost blinding. John is officially decompressed and ready for adventure…and will stop talking in 3rd person. We have seen Yak (yaks?)), sheep, horses and a bird the size of me! It got an expletive out of my usually pristine mouth I have to admit.
David, Ethan and I have also been getting along just fine. We are all quite different, but balance each other out well I think. Should be a good group. It could be the honeymoon stage and I may go off on my own… but I don’t think so. Soon we will be meeting up with our tour guide and other friends and colleagues Myriam and Fran in Tibet. I also think that we are trying to go out to dinner with Dan and Ssie tonight once we figure anything out.
My guidebook says internet access is more restricted in Tibet compared with China… so, if you see this online anytime soon, we lucked out.

We lucked out... we are here in Tibet, safe and sound... in a pretty swank hotel actually (because there is no tourist trade anymore). Went out to dinner met a local (ex tour guide--no tourists) He sat with us and chatted all dinner. Dinner cost 80rmb for 5 of us (about 2 dollars per person...) it was delicious. We had Yak dumplings among other things... but that will be for a later post. Pics to follow - but we have to tour tomorrow and it has been an incredibly long day.

PS - Hi y'all from texas! Tried to skype tonight, but you were already out and about... I can't believe that life goes on without me!